The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-10-27
HOW THE MONEY WAS LOST AND
POUND.


DO le, me go. Too. pleaded little Reu
ben Davis. PLEASE, brother Nathan.
mo, cant be bothered with you, re-
turned Nathan. II don't want any babies
round where sm.
Babies. Indeed r said Reuben, ind's
usntIy. "As II we're baby You
ought TO be ashamed 10 say such thing,
brother Nathan. Yon know ] chopped
vood al las. ~inter."
Wood ? Ho. ho r. answered Nathan,
40 Initiating laugh. more boot aud toes
than wood. ! guess.
Al this tauni. which alluded tea misbap
of genben's Of which he was not little
ashamed. the little fellow turned quickly
away. aud walked along the foot-path
which led to his home,
II Was sra~, cheerless day Ia early
spring. nearly ninety years ago. -Four
boys were sitting on huge log. which lay
upon the ground just at the point where
the foot path to the Davis farm met the
main road.
i They had daring scheme In view,
promising grea, fun, 10 which little Reu-
ben longed to join; but stern iats III the
person OF his brother Nathan. forbade
But then" as Moses Davis often said.
Mate might as well give up first as last,
for when Reub had made up bis mind to
do aaythiog, be allus did 1t. some way OF,
mother"
"Why don't you let him go, Nate 7"
asked Hiram Cole, a shsrt, fat boy, with
bsady black eyes
Cause amt min ter, answered
| Nathan.
| 'He won't do mite OF harm, said
Josiah varnum. For my part, I'd kind
er like to have him along. He's allus so
good patured.
well, il he goes won't, that's all
said Nathan. aud the boys said no more;
but Moses thought that. when the time to
20 came, neither Nathan nor Reuben
would stay Dehind.
There was an old cabin standing by IL
self Oh q hill. perhaps mile from where
the boys we're sitting, which had long had
the reputation OF being haunted. The
man who built it had been taken prisoner
by the Indians. His end was never
known. His wife, through grief and unx-
| iety, lost her reason. She lived for many
years harmless lunatic, wandering about
the country, living upon what the people
chose to give her, until one cold, winter
morning she was found dead. frozen to
death upon snow drift before her door.
After that, no one ever lived in the cabin.
The door had fallen from its hinges. The
windows bad not whole pane remaining
in the sashes Tho loneliness for the
cabin stood on the edge Of thick forest
and ITS ruined condition was sufficient to
give it bad name; and there was not
boy in the vicinity who would willingly |
pass by it alone. especially after nightfsll
There had been more said about the
cabin than usual lately. Some boys, pass
ing by on their return from "sugaring
OFF, late at night. saw, or said they saw,
. strange blue light issuing from the win.
dows, and heard means and the clanking |
OF chains.
Nathan Davis was fred with sudden
desire to solve the mystery; and be easily
persuaded his brother Moses, Hiram Cole.
and 'Sish yarnum TO spend night with
him in the haunted cabin. The boys had
carried frewood and kindling and knots
to the door, in order that they might have
FIRE and light; and they had supply Of
butternuts to crack, corn to pop. and even
few cakes of maple sugar for treat,
while waiting for the ghost to appear.
They felt little doubtful Of obtaining
the approval Of their parents and had con
cluded to dispense with it.
1--WE will slip out after the folks are
asleep said Nathan; "snd then il we
don't find anything. nobody need be any
the wiser, and, il we do find out suthin,
they'll be so glad they won't care"
"Where shall we meet ?" asked Hiram"
"Here's as good ss any place" answered
Nathan.
Time to 60 home now, and do chores,
yswned Josiah. "After all. I'd most As
soon stay at home and go TO bed. "
lyon always was sleepy head, re
turned Nathan. Hadn't you better get
" num TO get you cradle 7"
then the boys separated and went
/. n az; >wes. When Reuben left the
. 'ne'f n' ted along the narrow path
. :, "u'. forest, bis bosom SWELL
ng with indignation. ..,u
I'm go anyway" he sa. h.,I aon,,
Il sllus get ahead OF Nate, ;. ha,a
se what makes him so cross. 1.
7 be pleasant to me. I'd do apythil :.
anted me to-" he looked up throu.
30 lesfess branches OF the tall old trees
the dull gray sky. Il b'lieve its goin
rain, be said. =,
II was not yet year since Capt Davis or
I'd brought bis family to Hanover Hith.
TO, they had lived on small farm, stony ip
ID unproductive, IN one OF the Massachu- Al,
It's coast towns. But the preceding sum a
OF be had secured large tract OF land. an
ostly woodland. not far from Dartmouth tb
,llege, OF which be hoped in time TO ss
AXE productive farm.
)" Twill be bard work and short rations fol
first, mother, he had said TO his wife. iDI
children and sll must take hold to work ,h
le beavers; and by aud by. God willing. qu
shall have a good home. sh
And they had worked hard. Even Reu- al,
q. though not yet twelve. had chopped tai